"A new therapy for the often deadly flu virus is much needed",
says
Jaap Goudsmit, CSO of Crucell. "The continuous mutation of
the
influenza virus means that vaccine developers are always
playing
catch-up when it comes to choosing the correct virus. In
addition,
these vaccines tend to perform less effectively in the elderly.
The
almost universal oseltamivir resistance of the H1N1 virus
presently
circulating and the reported cases of H5N1 oseltamivir-
resistance
illustrate the urgency for a universal therapy against flu."

Crucell showed that the antibody CR6261 is effective in preventing
as
well as treating influenza caused by a broad range of seasonal
and
potentially pandemic influenza strains in the most
stringent
pre-clinical models suitable for human influenza. The
study,
conducted by Crucell together with The Scripps Research
Institute,
used x-ray crystallography to image and understand why the
antibody
can bind to and neutralize such a wide variety of influenza
viruses.
The study looked at the H1 strains that return every winter as
well
as the avian H5 ('bird flu') strains that are endemic in Asia
which
today pose a pandemic threat.

Influenza and related medical complications result in an
estimated
number of 500,000 annual deaths worldwide. Every year more
than
200,000 people in the United States are hospitalized from
flu
complications and about 36,000 people die from flu[1]. The number
of
flu-related hospitalizations by far exceeds the number of flu-
related
deaths. While flu affects individuals of all ages, elderly above
the
age of 65 constitute approximately 90% of flu-related deaths.
Young
children and individuals with chronic medical conditions also have
a
higher risk of influenza and related complications. Today
vaccination
is the cornerstone for preventing influenza, with the flu
vaccine
market of $2.2 billion in size and estimated to double by 2016.

Each year circulating strains of influenza virus subtypes,
currently
H1 and H3, change the composition of the viral surface protein
known
as hemagglutinin by mutation. Consequently, if one has had
a
vaccination against influenza this year, the antibodies produced
by
the immune system will most likely not protect against next
years'
flu. If an antibody was able to recognize an invariable structure
in
the hemagglutinin protein, such an antibody could be applied for
the
prevention and therapy of influenza caused by a wide variety of
flu
strains.

The unique property of the Crucell antibody appears to be related
to
its mechanism of action. The paper published in Science
entitled
"Antibody Recognition of a Highly Conserved Influenza Virus
Epitope"
shows that the CR6261 antibody attacks the 'Achilles heel' of
the
influenza virus, a region in the invariable part of the
hemaglutinin
protein that is key for the virus to start replication once it
has
infected an individual. The Science paper shows that the
antibody
neutralizes the influenza virus by blocking the fusion of the
virus
with membranes inside the host's cell, thereby effectively
preventing
replication of the virus. These results are a revolutionary
discovery
for the potential development of an effective therapy of,
and
prevention against, seasonal and pandemic influenza.

"Having successfully developed the first antibody therapy
against
rabies, which is now in Phase II fast-track clinical development,
we
are determined to develop an antibody therapy for flu. Recently
we
expanded our set of influenza antibodies by discovering
antibodies
targeting also the H3 seasonal influenza strains, says Ronald
Brus,
CEO of Crucell."

Patents for these antibodies have been filed worldwide, based on
the
first filing date of September 7, 2006. The claims encompass
the
unique conserved region to which the antibodies bind, the
unique
features of the neutralizing antibodies, their mode of binding,
as
well as their use in diagnosing, treating and preventing
influenza
virus infection and associated symptoms.

The results of this study will be presented by Dr Robert
Friesen,
Crucell's Vice President Antibody Discovery, at the 8th Asia
Pacific
Congress of Medical Virology, on the 27th of February 2009 in
Hong
Kong.

Forward-looking statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that
involve
inherent risks and uncertainties. We have identified
certain
important factors that may cause actual results to differ
materially
from those contained in such forward-looking statements.
For
information relating to these factors please refer to our Form 20-
F,
as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on May
7,
2008, in the section entitled 'Risk Factors'. The Company
prepares
its financial statements under International Financial
Reporting
Standards (IFRS).

About The Scripps Research Institute
The Scripps Research Institute is one of the world's
largest
independent, non-profit biomedical research organizations, at
the
forefront of basic biomedical science that seeks to comprehend
the
most fundamental processes of life. Scripps Research
is
internationally recognized for its discoveries in
immunology,
molecular and cellular biology, chemistry, neurosciences,
autoimmune,
cardiovascular, and infectious diseases, and synthetic
vaccine
development. Established in its current configuration in 1961,
it
employs approximately 3,000 scientists, postdoctoral
fellows,
scientific and other technicians, doctoral degree graduate
students,
and administrative and technical support personnel. Scripps
Research
is headquartered in La Jolla, California. It also includes
Scripps
Florida, whose researchers focus on basic biomedical science,
drug
discovery, and technology development. Scripps Florida is
currently
in the process of moving from temporary facilities to its
permanent
campus in Jupiter, Florida. Dedication ceremonies for the new
campus
will be held February 26 - 28, 2009.

About Crucell
Crucell N.V. (Euronext, NASDAQ: CRXL; Swiss Exchange: CRX) is
a
global biopharmaceutical company focused on research
development,
production and marketing of vaccines, proteins and antibodies
that
prevent and/or treat infectious diseases. Its vaccines are sold
in
public and private markets worldwide. Crucell's core
portfolio
includes a vaccine against hepatitis B, a fully-liquid
vaccine
against five important childhood diseases and a virosome-
adjuvanted
vaccine against influenza. Crucell also markets travel vaccines,
such
as the only oral anti-typhoid vaccine, an oral cholera vaccine
and
the only aluminum-free hepatitis A vaccine on the market. The
Company
has a broad development pipeline, with several product
candidates
based on its unique PER.C6® production technology. The
Company
licenses its PER.C6® technology and other technologies to
the
biopharmaceutical industry. Important partners and licensees
include
DSM Biologics, sanofi-aventis, Novartis, Wyeth, GSK, CSL and Merck
&
Co. Crucell is headquartered in Leiden, the Netherlands,
with
subsidiaries in Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Korea and the
U.S.
The Company employs over 1000 people. For more information,
please
visit www.crucell.com.